1. Field of the Invention
In general, this invention relates to a custom fit golf club and more specifically, to a multi-element custom fit putter utilizing a variable shaft length, a variable weight and a variable putter head lie to conform to the physiology and style of a specific user.
2. Description of the Related Art
The sport of golfing is very individualized, depending completely on a combination of the individual skill and physiology of the player. Although two players may have comparable skills, the techniques implemented by each player may be quite different. For example, irrespective of the level of skill of the player, a tall player has a different swing than the shorter player, based solely on the physiology of the player. Additionally, players often incorporate different styles of swings to improve aspects of their golf game. Because each player may implement a different style of swing, a golf club that can adjust for variances in the physiology of the player and can address stylistic preferences is highly desirable. Thus, a golf club kit, and in particular, a custom fit putter kit, which implements an adjustable putter is beneficial to a player wishing to improve his or her putting.
In general, the prior art discloses custom putters in which the length of the putter shaft is adjustable. However, in these prior art devices, the length of the shaft must be adjusted using specialized tools. Accordingly, a consumer wishing to adjust the length of a putter shaft must purchase the specialized tools and have the facilities in which to use them appropriately. Additionally, because the putter shaft is typically fixed to the putter head or contains the mounting means necessary to attach the shaft to the putter head, the shaft length of the prior art custom fit putters must be adjusted at the grip end, requiring the removal and reattachment of the grip. The chemicals required to remove and re-affix the grip are unsuitable for use in the home, office or motel room. Thus, because of the impracticality of purchasing special tools or using unsafe chemicals, the typical consumer must rely on a made-to-order manufacturer to customize the length of the putter shaft.
In a similar fashion, other prior art custom putters allow a consumer to designate a specific lie angle, designated generally as the angle between the putter shaft and the horizontal plane of the putter head when ordering a putter. Although these prior art putters implement an adjustable putter head lie, the lie angle of the prior art custom putters is fixed upon its manufacture and cannot be adjusted by the typical consumer after receiving the putter.
Based on these two prior art deficiencies, a consumer who is uncertain of what length shaft or putter head lie angle to order cannot typically experiment with different lengths and angles before ordering. This eliminates the practicality of a custom fit putter to a large group of consumers.
Some prior art putter kits have attempted to address this deficiency by implementing user adjustable custom fit putter kits. The majority of these prior art devices disclose a golf putter in which the lie angle is adjusted utilizing a variety of pivoting and locking structures such as screws and locking pins. Additionally, other prior art devices disclose a putter in which the relative length of the shaft is adjusted by either adding an extension to lengthen the shaft to reach the armpit of the user or by adjusting the relative distance between the shaft and the head of the putter to xe2x80x9clengthenxe2x80x9d the overall shaft length.
As a matter of practical and commercial viability, however, any adjustable putter must comply with the rules and regulations set forth by golfing regulatory bodies such as the PGA and LPGA. Such regulations require that the shaft angle relative to the putter head face must be at a minimum of 10 degrees from vertical and that the putter cannot be adjusted or be capable of being adjusted throughout a match. Thus, many of the adjustable prior art patents disclosing methods of varying shaft length or especially putter head lie angle, such as an angle adjusting screw mechanism, do not conform to the regulations on adjustable clubs. Although every user would not be subject to these regulations, it appears that a majority of consumers who would consider purchasing a custom fit putter would typically want that putter to conform to the regulations of the golfing industry. Additionally, as a matter of courtesy one would typically not enjoy playing with a player who seeks an unfair advantage by using non-regulation equipment.
Although some of the prior art patents have addressed the needs of ensuring that the custom putter complies with the golfing industry regulations on adjustable putters, none of the prior art discloses a system which incorporates an adjustable length shaft, an adjustable putter head lie and an adjustable weight. A true custom fit putter must account for variances in both the angle of the putter head and the length of the shaft. Additionally, as the length of the shaft varies, the overall weight of the club must also be varied to ensure the proper continuum of the swinging motion, an essential trait in putting. The existing prior art devices typically allow a user to vary only one of these three factors and do not incorporate a systematic, cost-effective method of providing a custom fit putter designed to conform to the needs of each user.
There exists a need for a custom fit putter which can be adjusted by the user without requiring expensive and bulky rudimentary tools. Further, there exists a need for a custom fit putter which incorporates a true adjustable length shaft, an adjustable putter head lie and an adjustable putter weight. Finally, there exists a need for a custom fit putter kit which allows a user to vary the shaft length, putter head lie, and weight in conjunction with multi-element putter assembly.
Based on the above-mentioned deficiencies in the prior art, it is an object of the present invention to provide a custom fit putter that is inexpensive and does not require additional specialized tools or the use of dangerous chemicals.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a custom fit putter which has a true adjustable length shaft, an adjustable putter head lie and an adjustable weight.
Finally, it is an object of the present invention to provide a custom fit putter kit which incorporates a variable shaft length, a variable putter head lie and a variable weight in combination to provide a complete custom fit putter based on the physiology and style of the individual player.
These and other objects of the present invention are achieved as a method and device implementing a custom fit putter. A putter of the present invention is constructed of two primary sections. The first section, the shaft, includes a tip end piece and grip end piece which are connected together. The second section, the head, includes a single piece having multiple openings for interfacing with various structures. In general, the interconnecting of the two sections of the present invention creates a golf putter that is optimized for the specific physiology and swing characteristics of the individual player.
The shaft section of the present invention includes two primary pieces which are bonded together. The first piece, the tip end piece, is a shaft of a fixed length which is typically hollow and constructed of aluminum, graphite, or other suitable materials. As would be understood, the tip end piece can alternatively be a solid or semi-solid shaft. The tip end piece gradually narrows at one end such that the diameter of the narrower end is smaller than the diameter of the wider end. In the preferred embodiment, the narrow end of the tip end piece contains a lock pin slot for use in construction of the completed custom fit putter. In other embodiments, the lock pin slot is replaced by a lock pin hole, but both structures retain the same function.
The second piece, the grip end piece, is also constructed of a single piece which is constructed of the same material as the tip end piece. The grip end piece includes a first portion which is of the same width as the wide end of the tip end piece and a second portion with is narrower. At the wide end, a grip is preaffixed to the shaft eliminating any need for the consumer to have to remove the grip to adjust the club. The narrow end of the grip end piece is of a smaller diameter such that it fits within the wide portion of the tip end piece.
To construct the full shaft, the narrow end of the grip end piece is inserted into the wide end of the tip end piece. Therefore, the shortest shaft length possible includes only the length of the tip end piece and the grip end piece. To lengthen the shaft, a plurality of spacers of various lengths are inserted on the narrow end of the grip end piece in between the two pieces of the shaft. Accordingly, being offered a variety to spacers to be used singularly or in combination, a consumer can vary the cumulative shaft length. In the preferred embodiment, once the appropriate length of the shaft is selected, the consumer permanently fixes the length utilizing an epoxy submitted in the kit, which is safe to use in most areas, especially the home, office or motel room.
The shaft section and the putter head section are joined together via a two-lock pin assembly. To join the two sections together, the narrow end of the tip end piece is inserted into a corresponding shaft access hole in the top putter head section. The shaft access hole is typically of an oval type shape which allows the shaft to move longitudinally, but restricts any movement about an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. To further ensure a proper fit and to seal the shaft access hole, an o-ring seals the shaft at the point of contact with the putter head.
Once the shaft section has been inserted into the putter head, the angle the shaft makes with the longitudinal axis of the putter head, the lie angle, is fixed. To compensate for different player preference of lie angle, the putter head presents four prebored lock pin holes for fixing the lie angle of the putter head. To fix the lie angle, a first locking pin is inserted into a common hole which creates a pivoting pin. Next, a second locking pin is inserted into one of a plurality of holes which have been specifically prebored to create several lie angles with respect to the common hole. In the preferred embodiment, the putter head contains three prebored holes to give the consumer a choice of 69 degrees, 72 degrees or 75 degrees putter head lie angle from horizontal. As would be understood, different putter head lie angles would be considered within the scope of the present invention. After the appropriate putter head lie angle has been selected, the locking pin is fixed by the application of the epoxy.
The present invention also varies the weight of the golf club dependant on the changes to the length of the shaft. In the preferred embodiment, the weight of the putter has been selected to match the longest length of the shaft possible. In the event that the consumer wishes to shorten the length of the shaft, the weight of the putter should be increased to ensure a proper balance. Accordingly, the present invention includes a central cavity within the putter head that allows a weight plug to be inserted to increase the overall weight of the club. As would be understood, a different weight plug could be implemented for each specific length of a shaft, or a weight plug could be utilized for ranges of shaft length. Similar to the other variable features, the weight plug is fixed to the putter head with an epoxy.
Although each step has been described as an independent feature, the present invention is also aimed at a method of constructing a custom fit putter in which the three features, adjustable length shaft, adjustable putter head lie angle and adjustable putter head weight, are utilized in conjunction with one another to allow a player to meet the demands of the player""s specific physiology and skill. For example, a tall player with shorter arms would likely use the longest shaft possible with an upright lie angle to make for a smoother swing. Likewise, a shorter player with longer arms would utilize a short shaft length with a low lie angle. Because each player has a different physiology and because each player utilizes a different swing, the present invention allows the player to construct his or her own personalized putter without incurring a high cost, without requiring the use of a made-to-order manufacturer, and without using dangerous chemicals.